Resilient detachable mechanism



. Nov. 23, 1965 v. F. zAHoDlAKlN 3,219,089

RESILIENT DETACHABLE MECHANISM Filed May 27, 1963 gaa "2 Z 1:1 rl 4| :F1 EP3 INVENTOR :E I lE-B VICTOR F.ZAHOD|AKIN United States Patent O 3,219,089 RESILIENT DETACHABLE MECHANISM Victor F. Zahodiakin, P.O. Box 689, Summit, NJ. Filed May 27, 1963, Ser. No. 283,375 Claims. (Cl. 151-41.75)

This invention relates to resilient detachable mechanism having a variety of utilitarian purposes, such as for receiving a conventional bolt or threaded post or any other means accomplishing releasable attachment of two or more members. As one specific example of use, the device of the present invention is adapted vfor detachable retention upon a basal member or plate to which an overlapping plate is to be secured, both plates` having .registering bolt ho'les. The device of the invention is located on a basal member or plate so that a bolt inserted from the other side of a second plate may be screwed into said device at its appointed location without the need of any one having to hold .or manipulate a nut by hand. The invent-ion has great advantage in situations whene it would be extremely difiicult, or perhaps impossible, to have access to the side of a member where the nut is required. For instance, in applying a hinge to a metal door frame already embedded in a wall, the back side of the frame is not accessible for holding a nut by hand while applying a screw through the hinge and door frame. In the past, receptacles functioning in the capacity of internally threaded nuts, have been sometimes riveted, welded, or otherwise permanently secured in place, and if the threads become damaged, it becomes a major operation to remove and replace a permanently secured nut.

In its broad aspect, the invention provides an improved securely held but readily releasable device of a character capable, as an example, of functioning as a nut.

The invention contemplates. and provides an assembly embodying a receptacle fullling the lrequirements; of the function of a nut, together with resilient snap-'action means for locking the receptacle in its location of use.

An essential feature of the present invention resides in the construction and retention of the resilient lock provided for the receptacle.

In conjunction with the foregoing object, the invention also proposes unique association of the resilient lock and said receptacle.

Important amongst objects of the invention is the provision of a structure which requires no special tools for applying the device at its place of use, and takes no more than a moment and only hand manipulation in the performance of that operation.

The invention also looks to a structure wherein the receptacle may be readily removed, returned or replaced should occasion require, and without injury to any part thereof or to the member or members associated therewith.

A detail object accomplished by the present invention is provision of a mechanism of the character indicated, wherein the receptacle and the lock are reversible from end-to-end relation, so as to avoid delay in any need to determine which ends mate.

Viewed in its commercial practicability, the invention incorporates objectives of simplicity of construction, manufacture and use, and proposes fabrication entirely from sheet material and by readily performed punch and die operations with great rapidity and economy.

Other objects, advantages and benecial structural features will appear to persons skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, as the description proceeds, both by direct recitation thereof and by implication from the context.

The novel features that I consider characteristic of my Fice invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention in all detail, however, as to 'it-s construction in two of its forms, and methods of operation, together with additional objects and advantages, will be best understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which FIGURE 1 is a plan of the invention in position of use on a panel or basal member;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse cross section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. l;

FIGURE 4 is a plan of the resilient lock shown alone and which is used in the construction shown in FIGS. 1 3;

FIGURE 5 is a front edge view or elevation of said lock;

FIGURE 6 is a plan corresponding to FIG. 1, but showing a modified exemplication .of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of said modied exemplication, taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a front edge view or elevation of the resilient lock, shown alone, and which is used in the modified construction of FIGS. 6 and 7.

In the specic embodiment of the invention illustrated in said drawing, and giving attention initially to FIGS. 1-5, the general organization of structure comprises in combination with some form of basal member 20, here shown as a sheet metal panel, a device 21 to function in the capacity of a nut but including means releasably attaching the device to the member. The device 21 comprises two parts, namely, a receptacle 22 and a lock 23 which are normally put together or assembled as a unit as a factory operation at the place of manufacture. It is not a prerequisite for the same manufacturer to produce the basal member nor to make the final assembly of the device on the basal member, as a fabricator of the basal member may, by following specication, preform members properly prepared for attachment of the device, and while such fabricator may obtain and assemble the devices in place on the fabricated basal member, it is just as feasable for a third party to obtain the basal members from one source and the devices from another source and then complete the assembly. It therefore is emphasized that the showing of and reference to the basal member as a panel or as sheet meta-l is arbitrary merely for purposes of definitely describing the selected exemplification. In the specific capacity of the device to function as a nut to receive a bolt (not shown) intended to pass through said member in making entry to the device, said member i-s shown provided with a hole 24 forthat or any other desired purpose. The device 21 is made of a size and shape such that it will engage flatwise against said basal member 20 around the margin of said hole 24.

The central portion of said receptacle 22 is formed to receive a bolt or the like, for which purpose it is provided with ya circular opening 'or crater 25 therethrough adapted to be located coaxially to the hole 24 of basal member 20. Said crater 25 is internally formed with a helical thread 29 and thereby adapted to function as a nut. Spaced radially outwardly from the center hole =or crater 25, the receptacle provides a at or planar area 26 to obtain the aforementionedatwise engagement against said basal member.

The circular portion of the receptacle 22 intervening between said crater 25 and planar area 26, bulges upwardly inwardly from said area as a rosette 27 with appropriate shape to form the above-mentioned helical thread through the agency of a circular series of resilient segments 28 next to the crater 25. By virtue of the rosette shape of the portion of the receptacle surrounding the crater, said helical thread 29 is spaced at a distance above the planar `area 26v and therefore in use is spaced above the basal member 20 affording ample opportunity for the resilient segments 28 to flex and grip a bolt or the like passing through said rosette.

It is essential to this invention that means be provided to prevent unintended escape of the receptacle 22 from the basal member 20, and in the furtherance of meeting this requirement, the receptacle is formed with protuberants 30 which in the present instance comprises continuations of the sheet material of planer area 26, integral therewith, and at opposite sides of the rosette 27 from each other and have the form of fiat ears. Said protuberants 30 have straight-line side edges 31 longitudinally thereof and have arcuate end edges 32. Two such protuberants 30 are shown, both of equal length one to the other, and have locations symmetrically at diametrically opposite sides of the rosette 27, and, with said planar area 26, may be positioned ilatwise on the basal member 20 in assembled use therewith. The said arcuate end edges 32 of said protuberants 30 have radii of length equal one to the other and preferably the center of curvature is coincident with the axis of the rosette 27 and its crater 25.

Basal member 20 has two retainers 33 with a spacing from each other in conformity to the distance between the aforementioned arcuate end edges 32 of protuberants 30. One mode of providing the retainers is to strike them up as tabs of the full thickness of the plate or member material, with the ends thereof most remote from each other remaining integral with said member and projecting therefrom as sloping risers 34. The upper or free ends of said risers are bent into substantially paralled relation to the upper surface of the member and have free ends pointing toward each other. The spacing and parallelism of said free ends constitutes them as shoulders 35 at ain elevation above said member greater than the thickness of said protuberants 30, thereby permitting the protuberants to be slid into a position directly beneath the shoulders. Preferably the retainers 3-3 inclusive of said shoulders 35 have a width substantially the same as the width between the straight-line side edges 31 of the receptacle protuberants 30 so there will be quite Close registration of the respective side edges when the protuberants are in their proper positions of retention.

In order to keep the receptacle from escape from its position of retention, aforementioned lock 23 is provided, but of a charcter that can be released when, for any reason, it becomes desirable or necessary to remove the receptacle. Said lock 23 is fabricated from relatively thin sheet spring steel tempered to generate and maintain resiliency. The said lock 23 is constituted at its mid-portion in the form of a flat frame 37 of peripherally closed type, at two opposite sides whereof, and in the same plane therewith, lobes 38 project symmetrically outwardly giving a generally longitudinal configuration to said lock. Any desired geometric contour of frame 37, such as circular as shown in FIGS. l and 4, or near-diamond shape, as shown in the modified construction of FIG. 6, may be employed to fulfill the purpose of exposing the rosette 27 therethrough and of permitting resilient flexing depression of the frame into Contact with the planar area 26 of the receptacle 22. In use, the frame 37 encircles the rosette 27 and said lobes 38 extend over the retainers 33, having downwardly bent toes 39 at their most outward ends the angle and length whereof conforms to the angle and length of the risers 34 of the retainers 33 so as to permit mutual engagement there between when the lock is assembled in its functioning position. Such engagement of said toes 39 with the said risers 34 constitutes means for keeping the lock from sliding longitudinally after being properly positioned. Either to slide the lock into locking position or to release it therefrom and remove it, one toe 39, and of course the 4 lobe 38 from which the toe depends, have to be deflected upwardly over the proximate retainer 33 as shown by dotted lines in FIG. 2, taking advantage of the resilient flexibility of the lock for this purpose.

At both sides of both lobes 38 proximate to the outer ends thereof, detents 40 are provided arranged to depend from said lobes and lap across the side edges of the retainers and protuberants 30 thereby preventing lateral escape of said protuberants from their location under the shoulders 35 of retainers 33. In the process of die stamping and punching the material of which said lock is formed, the material may be drawn to produce said detents 40 and toes 39 at each end of the lock integral with each other and with the respective lobe 38 from which they depend, this forming a three-sided pocket integral with and at the under face of the lobe and open both downwardly and inwardly of the lock. The depth of the said detents and toes to their bottom edges are properly proportioned to the spacing of the retainer shoulders from the plane of the top face of basal member 20, to result in said edges substantially resting upon said face when the lock is in its locking position.

At the edge of the receptacle planar area 26, and preferably mid-way thereof between the arcuate end edges 32, gibs 41 are bent upwardly and inwardly toward each other. Appropriate spacing is provided between the gibs and the upper face of the planar area to slidably accept the thickness of the lock frame 37. Retention of the frame under these gibs, in conjunction with engagement of the detents 40 and toes 39 with the retainers 33, keeps the lock in its appointed place and in performance of its locking function, but when need arises, it may be flexed and removed longitudinally from under the gibs 41 thereby releasing the receptacle to be rotated or slid from under the retainers 33 all of which may be done without damage to any of the parts or elements involved. It is possible, although perhaps not quite so practical, to release the lock by flexing both of the lobes 38 substantially at one time to a height clearing the detents 40 from the respective retainers, and thereupon rotating the receptacle and lock as a unit or sliding them as a unit laterally away from the retainers.

Turning now to a consideration of the modification shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, there is again shown a receptacle 42 adapted to be removably mounted upon the upper flat surface of a basal member 43 and provided with a planar area 44 from which protudes a rosette 27 of the same construction as previously described herein so that repetition is not deemed necessary. As also previously mentioned, the device is adapted to receive a bolt or the like in the thread 29 provided by the rosettee, so that the basal member 43 likewise is provided with a hole 45 to accommodate passage of such a bolt through said basal member for making engagement with the rosette.

In this modification of FIGS. 6-8, diagonal corners 46 of extensions of the planar area 44 consituting again what may be termed protuberants for engagement under corner-type retainers 47. In this showing, the contour of the receptacle provides two long straight-line edges 48, 48 parallel to each other and equi-distant from the center of cra-ter 25 of rosette 27, and provides two arcuate end edges 49, 49 the center of curvature for which is likewise at said center of the crater. The said radius of each end edge 49 is considerably greater than the perpendicular distance of each straight edge 48 from said center, giving an elongated configuration to the receptacle viewed in plan.

Medially of the length of each arcuate edge 49 of the receptacle, there is a rectangular notch 50, and there is a corresponding rectangular aperture 51 in the basal member 43 with which said notch will register when the receptacle is properly located with its corner protuberants 46 in assembled position under the said corner-type retainers.

In order to keep the receptacle of this modification releasably secured from escape from its position of retention, a resilient lock 52 is provided, the same being fabricated from relatively thin sheet spring steel tempered to generate and maintain resiliency. The said lock 52 is constituted at its mid-portion in the form of a substantially flat frame 53 of peripherally closed type, at two sides whereof, and in the same plane therewith, lobes 54 project symmetrically outwardly giving a -generally longitudinal configuration to said lock. As previously mentioned, said frame is of near-diamond shape so that it may be located around the rosette 27 and rest upon the planar area 44 of the receptacle 42. The outer ends of the lobes 54 bend downwardly as toes 55 with spacing from each other and from the geometric center of the frame a distance corresponding to the relative locati-ons of the two notches 50 of the receptacle and apertures 51 of the basal member. Said toes have a depth sufficient to permit them to pass through said notches and enter said apertures. Since the ends of the notches are opposed to the said edges of the toes, it follows that said side edges of the toes function as detents and will prevent lateral displacement of the receptacle with respect to the basal member. As with the previously described embodiment, the frame is held midway of its length, by gibs 56 integral with the receptacle and bent up and over the proximate portion of the iframe. Due to the presence of the toes at the longitudinal ends of the frame, the mid-portion of said frame has to be depressed in order to sl-ide it under the gibs 56, but after the toes register with the notches, the frame resumes its flat condition by resiliently introducing the toes into said notches and registering apertures of the basal member.

Finally, it may be pointed -out that both embodiments of the invention herein disclosed, provide a device of two pieces only, which are adapted to be assembled as a unit and to be applied to a prepared basal member as a hand operation and with great ease and facility. In each instance the lock can be readily made from spring steel and is slidable into position upon the receptacle, and provides means at both ends of the lock which engages both the receptacle and the basal member to prevent lateral, inclusive of rotary, movement of the unitary device to any extent that would permit escape. However, both show ings provide locks that can be manually sprung out of engagement with the basal member, and which, if desired, may be slid to free it from the receptacle.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a receptacle having a bolt-opening and a planar area integral with and projecting from and beyond said opening, said planar area of the receptacle havin-g gibs at sides thereof integral with said receptacle, a substantially at resilient lock superposed in iiatwise contact over said area and extending entirely around said opening and slidable flatwise under said gibs and flexible away from said planar surface of the receptacle at diametrically opposite sides of said lock which are symmetrically spaced with respect to portions thereof which underlie said gibs, and said lock having downwardly depending stop means transverse to the direction of sliding adapted to limit relative sliding of said lock on said receptacle.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a receptacle having a planar area, an elongated substantially flat lock superposed in atwise contact over said area, said lock having a greater width medially of its length than the Width at its ends, and the material of said lock havin-g greater Width than thickness rendering the lock rigid in its atwise direction and exible in a direction of lifting of said ends from said planar area, gibs integral with and projecting from said receptacle, said gibs receiving said lock slidably flatwise thereunder at said greater width thereof, and said lock having downwardly depending means at its ends transverse to the direction of said sliding adapted to limit relative slid-ing of said lock on said receptacle, said lock being held tightly to said planar area at location thereof under said gibs and flexibly liftable at its ends away from said area.

3. A device of the character described comprising an elongated receptacle having a bolt-opening and a planar area integral with and projecting from and beyond said opening, said planar area having gibs at sides thereof integral with said receptacle, an elongated substantially at resilient lock having greater width than thickness .so as to be lexible in direction of thickness and rigid in direction of width, said lock being superposed lengthwise of itself and of said receptacle in flatwise contact over said area and said lock being centrally open and extending entirely around said bolt-opening, said gibs bein-g diametn'cally opposite to each other on a diameter of said bolt-opening at right angles to the length of the receptacle and lock, said gibs receiving edge portions of said lock slidably atwise thereunder, said lock being slidable to position of engagement by said gibs medially of its length, and said lock having downwardly depending means at its ends transverse to the direction of sliding adapted to limit relative sliding of said lock on said receptacle and retain said lock constantly assembled under said gibs and on said receptacle.

4. A device of the character described, comprising an elongated receptacle of resilient material, said receptacle having ends and a planar area between said ends, a relatively at elongated sheet metal lock resilient in the same direction as the resiliency of said receptacle and having a length substantially the same length as said receptacle and superposed atwise over said area with the respective ends of the receptacle and lock substantially together, gibs integral with said receptacle located medially of the length of said receptacle, said gibs receiving edges Iof said lock thereunder, said lock being assembled on said receptacle lengthwise thereof and in position of atwise engagement yand constant retention thereon under said gibs, and downwardly depending means at the ends of said lock having a position in use opposite to the ends of the receptacle for limiting sliding of said lock on the receptacle, said receptacle and lock being maintained by said means and gibs as a constantly assembled unit and while so assembled being simultaneously flexible in use as a unit.

5. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said downwardly depending means, which serves to prevent said relative sliding, is carried by a lobe next to each end of said lock and is defined by detents and toes, and wherein medially between said lobes said lock has a frame formation the frame members of which are substantially at and have constant width greater than thickness thereof for distributed resiliency therein in a direction toward and away from the planar area and for rigidity in direction of the plane of the frame.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,144,553 1/1939 Simmonds l5 l-4l,76 2,469,312 5/ 1949 Poupitch 151-41.71 2,575,594 11/1951 Reiner 15l-41.76

FOREIGN PATENTS 729,521 12/ 1942 Germany.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, COMPRISING A RECEPTACLE HAVING A BOLT-OPENING AND A PLANAR AREA INTEGRAL WITH AND PROJECTING FROM AND BEYOND SAID OPENING, SAID PLANAR AREA OF THE RECEPTACLE HAVING GIBS AT SIDES THEREOF INTEGRAL WITH SAID RECEPTACLE, A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT RESILIENT LOCK SUPERPOSED IN FLATWISE CONTACT OVER SAID AREA AND EXTENDING ENTIRELY AROUND SAID OPENING AND SLIDABLE FLATWISE UNDER SAID GIBS AND FLEXIBLE AWAY FROM SAID PLANAR SURFACE OF THE RECEPTACLE AT DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID LOCK WHICH ARE SYMMETRICALLY SPACED WITH RESPECT TO PORTIONS THEREOF WHICH UNDERLIE SAID GIBS, AND SAID LOCK HAVING DOWNWARDLY DEPENDING STOP MEANS TRANSVERSE TO THE DIRECTION OF SLIDING ADAPTED TO LIMIT RELATIVE SLIDING OF SAID LOCK ON SAID RECEPTACLE. 